My fiance has started Body for Life and asked me to be her 'personal trainer/motivator'

That is all good and nice, and I'm doing my best.

She has been really motivated and fantastic about the foods/etc.

The problem I'm having is with her side. Doing the movements like Squats and Deadlifts that are a foudnation of a lower body workout program cause her Pain in her side, right below her pelvic bone. This seems to be an aggravated condition that gets better or worse depending on her activity level.

She was out gardening at her mothers house all day one day and aggravated it. I keep trying to be easy on it, but wonder if any of you ladies (or men!) have experienced the same phenomen.

She's had it for months, and refuses to go to a doctor about it

Any tips?

-Allen

The only 2 things I can suggest are:

-drop the weight down incredibly, so she is doing the movement but with no weight until the pain is gone and slowly increase the weight, concentrating on form, rather than increasing the weight

-don't do those 'painful' exercises for the time being and do others that work the same body part and see if she can do those pain free..

best of luck to her and congrats for getting started!:D

(if any of this persists, have her see a doc, so she doesn't do any serious damage!)

Does the pain start at her hip flexor and travel so it feels like it's under her pelvic bone?

Has she ever had any back injuries, hip problems or knee problems? The other thing that comes to mind is an ovarian cyst.

My concern would be if she hurt her back at some point in time that she's doing herself more harm than good by trying to do something that her body doesn't like at the moment.

She needs to be told that there is a distinct difference between "healthy pain" (DOMS) and bad pain. It sounds like she's experiencing bad pain which needs to be looked into ASAP. By being stubborn about it could very well be counter productive which will only prolong her reaching her fitness goals.

It's really difficult to become a fit person if one is given doctors orders to chill for a few weeks while being doped up on painkillers. Not saying that is what will happen, but it could if she's not careful.

I would scrap the Squat and Dead for now and develop some core work first. Especially if she is a "first-timer".

Is she a "first-timer"?

Would also work on some Leg Adductor/Abductor/Hip Flexor.

....and ankle flexibility/ Hamstring flexibility.

Core work would include abs.